JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Jake Casey’s three-run triple in the bottom of the ninth erased a two-run deficit and gave the Johnstown Mill Rats a 3-2 walk-off victory over the Chillicothe Paints in a Prospect League matchup on Wednesday night.
After Johnstown entered the bottom of the ninth with just one hit, Joe Alcorn led off the frame with a single. Chase Cromer and Lukas Torres walked to load the bases with two outs. Casey then skied a fly ball to right field, and the ball fell in between the right fielder and second baseman, allowing all three runners to score and give the Mill Rats the win.
Casey recorded two of the Mill Rats’ three hits. Brennan Murphy claimed the win in relief after allowing one hit over 1 ⅔ scoreless innings. Christian Hack was given a no-decision after giving up two-runs on four hits in 7 ⅓ frames.
Chillicothe starting pitcher Gino Sabatine gave up just one hit over seven innings. Sabatine retired the first 11 Johnstown batters in a row before hitting Pete Capobianco in the bottom of the fourth with two strikes. The Mill Rats recorded their first hit on a Casey one-out double in the bottom of the fifth.
Chillicothe got in front in the top of the second on a Hunter Klotz RBI single, and Kade Wroot scored on a wild pitch in the seventh to give the Paints a 2-0 lead before the Mill Rats’ rally.
Johnstown (11-14) faces Chillicothe on Thursday at 7 p.m. to close out their two-game home series before the Mill Rats go back on the road over the weekend.
